Can-filling machine.



C H. AYARS. CA'N FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN 30.1914

Patented Feb. 27,1911

4 SHEETS-SHEET. 1.

c'. H. AYAHS.

CAN FILLING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30, I914.

Patentd Feb. 27, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lvmmo v C. H; AYARS.

CAN FlLL-ING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30. 1914.

Patented Feb; 27,1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- MKW c. H. AYARS.

CAN FILLING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MN. 30, 1914.

1,217,884. Patented Fb. 27,1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

' chines,

an erm ne PATEN CHARLES H. AYARS, OF SALEM, NEW JERS PANY, OF SALEM, NEWJERSEY, A

EY, ASSIGNOR TO AYARS MACHINE COM- CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CAN-FILLIN G MACHINE.

Application filed January 30, 1914. Serial No. 815,395.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. AYARS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Salem, in the county of Salem and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Filling Maof'whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved machine for filling cans withfruits or vegetables.

The present invention has particular reference to that kind of a machinewhich is shown in U. S. Patent 722,075 granted to me March 3rd, v1903,but is an improvement in many respects on machines of that character.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improvedconstruction of filling machine with practically a double fillingcapacity over the machine of my said patent without however duplicatingall of the parts.

Another object is to provide improved means for presenting the cans tothe filling mechanism; to hold the cans in a somewhat inclined positionduring the filling thereof so as to facilitate the overflow from thecans that are being filled and insure that the cans will receive a unifrm -quantity of material.

A further object is to provideimproved means for presenting a pluralityof cans at a time to the filling mechanism and to improve the means forejecting the,cans after they have been filled. v

I have also shown in connection with the present invention an improvedcan. feed device adapted for handling either the headed end cans or forfeeding cans known in the trade as .sanitary cans which latter cans haveone end or head entirely removed duringthe filling operation, but thepresent application makes no claim to this feed mechanism as that formsthe subject of a companion application eXecuted andfiled simultaneouslyherewith. v

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein,

Figure 1, 'shows the improved machine in side elevation.

Fig. 2, illustrates the same in frontelevation.

Fig. 3, shows a side elevation" of the lower part of the machine asviewed from the right hand side of F 1g. 2.

Fig. 4, illustrates in top plan, the mechanism shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5, shows a vertical sectional detail through one of the tapereddischarge tubes and also through the intersecting plunger tube and theoverflow device.

Fig. 6, is a sectionalplan view of the overflow device,t-he sectionbeing taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5, and

Fig. 7, shows a bottom plan view of the overflow device.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 8, designates a frame, shaped toform bearings and supports for the various parts of the machine and tohold an inclined hopper, 9, in an elevated position. The hopper has aplurality of discharge tubes, 10, which in- 4 cline, downwardlytherefrom and is also provi ded with a plurality of plungers, 11,one foreach discharge tube.

A suitable cross-head, 12, connects the upper ends of theplunge'rs and aconnecting rod, 13, is slidably sustained in: brackets, 14, at the underside of the hopper so that its reciprocating movement may be imparted tothe plungers through an operating rod, 15. The operating rod, 15, isbent laterally and extends wardly, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3 of thedrawings and its lower end pivotally engages an adjustable block, 16,which latter is carried by a cam-frame, 1.7. This cam frame is pivotallysustained at its lower end bya rock shaft, 18, .which latter derives itsrocking motion front the frame as will presently be explained. I g

A horizontal cam shaft, 19, has its opposite ends sustained in thevertical side members of the frame, 8, and said shaft extends throughthe cam frame, 17, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, of the drawing so that acam, 20, on said shaft may turn in a vertical plane in said cam frameand thereby oscillate said frame in a vertical plane and thus impart alongitudinal reciprocating movement to the operating rod, 15, toreciprocate the plungers, 11.

downwardly and foris intersected by a plunger tube, 21,, each of whichlatter has a plunger, 22, therein which cross the lower end of saiddischarge tubes as shown in section in Fig. 5. Each plunger, 22, isprovided with a rod, 23, which projects upwardly from its upper end anda cross head, 24, connects the endsof said rods, as clearly shown inFig. 2, of the drawing.

Suitable bracket bearings, 25, and, 26, respectively are carried byupper and lower portions of the frame so that a rod, 27, may extendthrough said bearings. and have a reciprocating movement therein. Theupper end of this rod, 27, is rigidly engaged with the cross-head, 24,while near the lower end, said rod carries a block or head, 28, whichhas side recesses therein so that prongs, 29, which are formed on theend of a rock lever, E 0, may engage the block or head and cause alongitudinal reciprocation of the plunger rod, 27, each time the rocklever, 30, is ac tuated.

The rock lever is carriedby a rock shaft, 31, which is supported insuitable bearings, 32, and an arm, 33, projects rearwardly from saidrock shaft and carries a roller, 34, which has position in a side grooveof a cam, 35, which latter is carried on the horizontal cam-shaft, 19.It will therefore be understood that the cam, 35, will rock arm, 33,

shaft, 31, and rock lever, 30, to cause a longitudinal reciprocation ofthe rod, 27, and a like movement of the plungers, 22. j

The lower end of each plunger tube, 21, carries an overflow shell, 37,which latter has a bottom flange or plate, 38, that extends bothforwardly and rearwardly with respect to the plunger tube, and throughwhich the plunger,

the under side of the shown in Fig. 5. On

bottom plate, 38, there is a gasket, 39, which latter encircles theopening through which the plunger, 22, extends so that a can being.filled may be seated against the gasket to form a sufficiently tightjoint to prevent leakage.

The overflow shell and its bottom plate have an inclined position withthe front-end higher than the rear end and at the rear or lower side ofthe plunger, 22, said bottom plate has an overflow passage, 40, whichopens upwardly into a rearwardly-extending chamber, 41, of the shell, asclearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings. The rear end of theshell'chamber, 41, has a bottom outlet, 42, and a nozzle, 43, projectsbelow the inclined bottom so as to allow the escape of materials fromthe chamber.

By referring to Figs. 1, 6 and 7 of the drawings, it will be noted thatthe bottom plate, 38, of the overflow shell is provided with centeringlugs, 44, and, 45, respectively by means of which the cans to be filledmay be centered and properly positioned about the under side thereof forfilling.

The machine is provided with a flat stationary table,"46, shown best inFigs. 3 and 4 of the drawing, and a movable table, 47, is pivotallysustained at its rear edge on a horizontal bar, 48, so as to swing intoa plane I 22, projects slightly when the latter 1s in its lowermostposition as flush with the stationary table or be moved into an inclinedplane with respect to said stationary table.

The movable table, 47, is provided with an opening, 49, which extends ina direction from front to rear and a wall, 50, extends up 'wardly fromthe table and around said opening whereby to form a guide at each sideof the opening.

The purpose of this walled opening is to permit the plunger-actuatingrod, 27, to pass therethrough without however interfering with an up anddown swinging motion that is to be given the table as will presently bedescribed. At the rear end the wall, 50, has a \l-shape, 51, so as todivide the cans as they are fed onto the movable table and preventcrushing the same during such movement against the wall at the inner endof the table-opening.

Beneath the stationary table, and extending horizontally thereunder is arock-shaft, 52, which carries an arm, 53, that projects forwardly andcurves upwardly under the movable table, 47. The forward or free end ofthis arm, 53, is provided with a roller, 54, on which the bottom of themovable table, 47, rests so that by rocking the shaft, 52, in adirection to throw the free end of arm, 53, upwardly, will cause thetable, 47, to be swung upwardly as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of thedrawings.

The horizontal shaft, 19, carries a cam, 55, while the rock-shaft, 52,is provided with an arm, 56, which extends downwardly in front of saidcam and carries a roller, 57, which contacts with the face of the saidcam, at least during the period that said table, 47, is held raiseds-Another arm, 58, is lossely carried on the rock-shaft, 52, and extendsdownwardly at the rear of the cam, 55, and a spring, 59, con.- nects thelower ends of said arms, 56, and, 58, so as to yieldingly draw said freeends of the arms toward each other. is provided on arm, 58, so as toproject at the rear of arm, 56, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2 of thedrawings, and the purpose of this stop is to form a yielding abutmentagainst which the arm), 56, is moving rearwardly and lowering the table,47. i

A feed cam, 61, is also carried on camshaft, 19, and has a side groovein which a roller, 62, of a rock lever,-63, rides. This rock-lever, 63,has its lower end pivotally mounted on shaft, 18, while its upper endprojects through a horizontal slot, 64, in the table, 46, and pivotallyengages the under side of a feed plunger, 65. The feed plunger A stoping, 66, 1

making a forward stroke may strike when it i a both cans will be movedforward toward the movable table. I

From the foregoing explanation each revolution of the feed-eam, bl. willcause the feed plunger to make one forward stroke to feed two empty cansforward and a reii' n stroke to permit the placing of two more cans'infront of it to be fed forward.

spring, lib. is provided at the upper end of the rock lever. (33. to aidin returning the same and the feed plunger. ($5. to their rearwardposition.

A bracket, (31 extends vertically from'the table. 46. and sustains ahorizontal friction plate. TU. which has an upturned yielding end, 71.This plate, 70. has position in front of the pllinger-heads, 37. whenthe latter are at their rearmost position as shown inv Figs. 3 and ofthe drawing, and said plate is sustained in a horizontal plane so as tobear on theopen tops of the empty cans asthe latter are fed or movedinto position in front'of the plunger heads. (37. stop plate. isprovided on the under side of plate. W. to stop the cans fed thereunder.

The empty cans are fed. open ends up,

by any desirable can-feed mechanism, but

l have shown an improved construction of feed-mechanism which forms thesubject of aseparate application because it maybe utilized in fillingmachines having constructions very different from the filling mechanismherein shown.

lV hen however the cans are fed so'as to place two empty cans in frontof the planger heads, (37. the latter are moved forward, thereby pushingthe two empty cans ahead of them and onto the movable table, 47. Duringthis forward movement, the V- shaped end, 51, of wall, 50, divides thecans, causing one can to pass onto the movable table at. one side -ofthe wall. 50, and the other can to pass onto the said table at theopposite side of said wall. \Vhen pushed onto the movable table,suitable clamp devices, 73. engage the cans and hold them againstaccidental displacement while the table is raised and lowered. hen thenext two cans are. pushed onto the movable table, 47. the two previouslyplaced thereon Will be moved forward to filling position where they willbe. engaged by yielding clamps, H, which hold them during the fillingoperation.

\Vhile held by the clamps, 74, the table, 47. is elevated so as to seatthe open ends of the two foremost cans beneath the gasket, 3! on thebottom of the overflow shell. At this time the cans are held in aninclined position. i

The filling mechanism is then actuated to allow the material to passfrom the hopper 'tln-ough the discharge tubes. 10, and into the plungertubes. from which latter such material is forced by plungers, into theinclined cans. The plungers. ii. in forcing the material into the canscut olf commu nieation with hopper tubes. 10. and also enter slightlyinto the cans. During this operation the excess juices will be displacedby the entering plunger-ends and carried off through the. overflowpassages. 40. into the overflow shells. and out through openings. l2 andnozzles 43. into the two empty cans next to be filled. The table. 47. isthen lo\\'ered. and as two new cans are forced onto the table. thefilled cans will be pushed otlj' onto a eonvever or support. H2. toreceive them while the two cans which received the .overllow fromthefilled cans last removed.

will move to filling position.

It will thus be seen that two cans are filled at a time and are held inan inclined position during the. filling operation so that the overfiowmay be readily carried back to the nejvt two cans to be filled.

In the present instance the can feed deviees'comprise a vertical chute.75. down through which the cans are fed while in a horizontal positionand beneath which is located a curved table or support, 76, havinginclined walls. 77. A rotary member, T8. is sustained so as to rotate ina horizontal plane over said table or support, and said member isprovided with two arms, 79, and. SUE-the latter of which is longer thanthe. former. A curved channel or guideway, 81. extends laterally fromthe table or support and terminates beneath the horizontal can frictionplate. 70. and. T1.

As the cans drop onto the table, 76. on their side. they are. engaged byone or the other of the arms, 79. or, 80. and swept around the table.During this travel, the open end of the can rides up the inclined sideof thetable wall and gradually rights itself until it finally turns upon its end and is pushed laterally onto the guideway. 81. ()no can ispushed beneath the friction plate. 70, by the can next behind it and athird can is fed under the plate. 70. before the plunger heads, 67. move.t'orward. In this way the cans are righted and fed in such time thattwo cans will be located in front of the plunger, heads by the time thelatter are moved forward. This feed device is fully explained in acompanion application executed and filed simultaneously herewith and adetailed description is there fore believed to be unnecessary herein.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. In a can filling n'laehine, the combination with. ahopper having an outlet, of a plunger for. said hopper outlet; anoverflow shell at the hopper outlet said shell having an, inclinedposition with two. outlets therein one of which outlets is in a planehigher than the other; a swinging support to sustain a can for each ofsaid shell-outlets; means for moving the support to present the cans inan inclined position to said two outlets; means for operating thesupport and means for feeding cans onto the support.

Q. In a can'filling machine, the combina tion with a hopper having anoutlet, of a plunger for said hopper outlet; an overflow shell at thehopper outlet said shell having an inclined position with two outletstherein one o1 which outlets is in a plane higher than the other; astationary can-sustaining table; a swinging can-sustaining table; meansfor moving thecansfrom the stationary table onto the swinging table;means for moving the swinging table to present one can to the highershell-outlet and another can to the lower shell-outlet.

3. In a can-filling machine, the combination with a hopper having anoutlet, of a plunger for said hopper outlet; an inclined shell at thehopper outlet and said shell having two outlets one of which is in aplane higher than'the other; a can sustaining table pivotallysupported'beneath the shell; means for intermittently'feeding cans ontothe table; means for swinging the table upwardly to present one can tothe higher shell-outlet and to present another can to the lowershell-outlet and to hold the higher can in an inclined position andmeans for forcing material into the higher can.

4. In a can-filling machine, the combination with a hopper having aplurality of outlets, of a' plunger for each hopper-outlet; an inclinedoverflow shell at each hopper outlet and each shell having two openlngstherein one of which openings is in a plane higher than the other; meansfor presenting cans to the higher outlet of each shell andsimultaneously presenting other cans to the lower outlet .of each shelland means for simultaneously actuating the plunger to eachhopper-opening.

5. In a can-filling machine, the combina- Larissa tion with a hopperhaving a plurality oi outlets, of a plunger for each hopper-out 1 aninclined overflow shell at each hop outlet and each shell having twoopeni therein one of which openings is in a p higher than the other; aswinging thelow all of the shells; means for feet as many cans onto thetable at a tinr a there are higher shell-openings, mean swinging thetable upwardly to pres n' can to each higher shell-opening auoother canto each lower shell-opening an means for actuating the plungers. "5 G.In a. can-filling machine, the coinhiu tion with a hopper having aplurality outlets, of a plunger for each liopper-outl an inclinedoverflow shell at each hoppaioutlet and each shell having two openitherein. one of which openings is in a pl higher than the other; aplunger for eaci hopper outlet; means for actuating all u? the plunger-ssimultaneously to project them through the higher outlets of the shellsan. 7": means for presenting cans to the higher out let of each shelland simultaneously pro senting other cans to the lower outlet oi eachshell whereby the overflow from the cans at said higher outlets may fiowthrougl the shells and out through the lower outl a thereof.

7. In a can-filling machine, the combination with a hopper having aplurality of outlets, of a plunger for each outlet; an in an clinedoverflow shell for each hopper-outlet: a swinging table below theoverflow shells; means on the table for clamping a series of cansthereon and means for swinging the table and the clamped cans toward theshells to position some of them for filling and to hold others toreceive the overflow.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. AYARS.

Witnesses 0-. W. 'Ao'roN, MARY D. BANKS.

